Pumpkin Lust Cake

You guys. This pumpkin lust cake is like the new pumpkin pie. At least it will be at our Thanksgiving dinner this year. It is so so good! I sent it to work with Brett on Monday for his company Halloween party. But I had to cut a teeny tiny square out of the corner first just so I could try it. Isn’t that tacky, to send him with a pan of dessert that’s already been cut into? Oh well. I thought about that cake all day long….wishing I would have cut myself a bigger piece!

I about cried when he showed up at home that night with a big ol’ piece he said he saved just for me. Good, good hubby!

First you need to run and grab some Pumpkin Spice Instant Pudding. Like right now. It’s seasonal and might not last long. And it’s the key to this dessert!

Let me lay it out for you. We are talking about a buttery pecan crust, topped with a sweet cream cheese layer, the pumpkin pie pudding layer, and it’s finished off with a layer of cool whip….and I gave it a sprinkle of nutmeg just for fun.

The original version of this cake is made with chocolate and/or vanilla pudding, and it is deee-licious as well. But using the pumpkin spice pudding was my mother’s idea and it makes it a perfect holiday dessert this Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Mix pudding mixes with cold milk, whisking for several minutes. Set it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining container of cool whip. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit! This has been the “go-to” dessert at our house for years, made with every flavor of pudding imaginable with butterscotch or pumpkin being the favorites.

Wow!!! I am not a pumpkin pie person at all and my family thinks I am nuts, but I think that I would definitely love this. I am making this for Thanksgiving because I am sure that they will love love love it!

I too hate pumpkin pie and I get looks every year like “your crazy” and asked see you sure you don’t want to try it. Like I’ve never had it. I will eat pumpkin cheese cake….and now I might have a new go to recipe.

I have a dessert that is kinda like this that is made with graham crackers. Well if you use the pumpking pudding and then can find the gingerbread graham crackers to layer in it. It is the greatest thing. Everyone loves it even those that dont like pumpking.

Try using chopped or ground up pretzels, a little butter and some sugar, Use the pretzels in the amount of ground up graham crackers for a graham cracker crust. It would be great instead of nuts. Another option is to use Oreo Cookie Crust.

I have used this recipe for years with chocolate and lemon pudding mixes. I always use a graham cracker crust and I can tell you, it’s a hit every time. I can’t wait to try the pumpkin version. I’m having a hard time finding the pudding though.

Our family doesn’t care for pecans so how do you think it would taste with a pie crust instead? Also, the pudding was a little too spicy for my taste but I love the pumpkin flavor- any suggestions other than mixing some cool whip in?

You could use 1 vanilla and one pumpkin so it would not be so spicy? We make this dessert with pistachio pudding. The crust the nuts are subbed with crushed walnuts instead of pecans. It is always well liked.

You could use 1 pumpkin with 1 vanilla pudding to dilute the pumpkin spice flavor. I make this dessert with pistachio pudding. The nuts in the crust are subbed with walnuts versus the pecans. It is always a hit!

I think it would be great in a pie crust! I was thinking about mixing one box of pumpkin spice pudding with a box of vanilla pudding next time I make it! That might tone down the pumpkin flavor for ya!!

YA…what SHE said!!! Get on with it and enjoy life a little bit! It’s not for every day for crying out loud!!! Works great with sugar-free vanilla pudding and pureed pumpkin(add your own spices….)just a smidge of milk… and a graham cracker crust so my diabetic husband can enjoy as well.

if you dont like the ingredients, then dont make it? Plus if you like the concept, you can always make some sort of similar concoction homemade with all natural ingredients. This is a quick and easy dessert, and looks delicious! people consume way worse things on a day to day basis.

@ Jane- Thanks for the information. I’ve thought about using real pumpkin filling or making a real pumpkin cheese-cake type filling that would also be good. And you can always make your own whipping cream. I definitely never claimed this was a healthy dessert….I guess that’s why it’s a “yearly” Thanksgiving indulgence!

I couldn’t find pumpkin pie pudding mix so I substituted cheesecake pudding mix, used 1.5 cups of milk and 1 cup of pumpkin pie filling mix. It is delicious!! Thanks for the great recipe… I hope to find the real pudding mix soon but this works!

We made a similar pudding cake, but did one layer of chocolate pudding and then one layer of butterscotch pudding as well. I also make my own whipped cream instead of cool whip. So much richer and less artificial tasting. I then top it with more pecans or chocolate sprinkles or dust it with cocoa powder. Divine!

I made this with vanilla pudding and added pumpkin pie spice. Here in Maui it is hard to find the seasonal pudding. It worked out great!One of my favorite pumpkin desserts. I linked back to your site.Mahalo for sharing!

And now there has been a run on Pumpkin Spice Pudding mix so it is no longer available in ANY stores! LOL! Yum – looks delish. (And yes, I would probably make my own version of the ingredients since I try to avoid chemicals as much as possible!)

I”m on low carb and trying to figure out how I can make something similar to this. SF pudding with my own spice in it, whipped cream instead of Cool Whip, An almond and pecan flour crust,,,,the powdered sugar is my problem,,,can’t sub that….

I’ve been making this recipe( and have shared the recipe almost each time I’ve taken it to a social ) since about 1985. We call it Lemon Lush with lemon pudding, with chocolate pudding its called Chocolate Surprise, and with butterscotch pudding its Butterscotch Spectacular. This Pumpkin Lust is a new flavor treat! The original recipe was sweet enough not using sugar in the crust and only 1/2 cup of powd sugar in the cream cheese layer.I hope our grocer has this Pumpkin Spice pudding.Thanks for sharing.

My husband’s family makes a version of this with chocolate pudding instead of pumpkin, and it’s heavenly. MIL also makes it with a berries and glaze layer in place of the pudding, and that’s really good, too. I can’t wait to try this!

you could also use a can of condensed milk boil it in water until it turns into caramel make sure you put a couple of small holes in the can before you boil it,it will tastes like O’Charleys Caramel pie.

I made this for our early Thanksgiving dinner this year and took the leftovers (of which there were LOTS) into my office. It was a HUGE hit with all my co-workers. Next year I’m thinking about putting some chocolate shavings on top. Or maybe doubling the cookie layer. Regardless – it was DELISH!

I just finished making this! It’s in the fridge now, and I can’t wait for my husband to get home so that we can cut into it! It was so easy to make and looks fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

I’m so excited about making this to take to Thanksgiving dinner at friends’! I looked all over town and couldn’t find the pudding, so in desperation I bought vanilla pudding and a can of pumpkin. Already had pumpkin pie spice. I was relieved to come home and read that this substitution works well. Thanks for the recipe and all the helpful comments! Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

The beauty of an indulgent dessert is that it’s something you enjoy occasionally. If I wanted to bake a pumpkin something-or-other from scratch I wouldn’t have given this recipe a second look. But you know what? This is great as is. It’s kind of like eating at McDonalds…you know it’s bad for you but once or twice a year it just hits the spot. Thanks for sharing!

I went to Staters and Vons before finally finding the Pumpkin Spice instant pudding at my Ralphs…whew, 3rd times a charm! Like a madwoman, I grabbed 8 boxes to save me the trouble next time ’round (exp July 2013!). I don’t eve know if I like this recipe yet lol, but it looks so promising and better be since I can make it 4 x’s ; ) 2 more days before I get to gobble it up…CAN’T WAIT!!! Thanks for sharing this simple, yummy-looking recipe!

I made this over the weekend to rave reviews! I couldn’t find pumpkin pudding either, and subbed gingerbread pudding. My guests and I thought it was wonderful. I love the idea of using a gingerbread crust with this, going to try that next time!

Just finished making this and looking forward to trying it tomorrow. I looked at all the local stores with no luck on the pumpkin pudding until my mother in law found just one box at Walmart. I mixed one pumpkin and one vanilla to cover the two boxes needed. Thanks for the twist on this recipe – I have made the chocolate one and it was a family favorite.

I substituted almonds in place of the pecans because my kids have an allergy to pecans. This is so delicious and I am not a pumpkin person at all! I would highly recommend this and thanks for the advice of the other posters I will try it with chocolate or butterscotch pudding when I can’t find pumpkin! THANK YOU for sharing!!!!!!

I just made this and thought it was pretty good. Next time I’d double the crust (best part!) and use less cool whip. Canned pumpkin mixed with vanilla pudding would be good too instead of the pumpkin pudding. A lot of wiggle room here but great, easy recipe!

I’ve made this 2 times in the last week for family functions and everyone has loved it! I haven’t been able to find the pumpkin spice pudding so I used vanilla pudding, 1.5 cups of milk and a cup of pumpkin puree and a teaspoon or so of pumpkin pie spice! It is delicious!!

I made this for our Thanksgiving get together and it was very well received.

I left the sugar out of the crust and used regular granulated sugar for the cream cheese layer (because I make a similar thing with chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and banana pudding and I made this one much the same way).

Sorry for posting as Anonymous, I got to this page from Pinterest,and don’t have any of the listed accounts!!

YUM!! thank you for taking the time to post this delicious recipe and “pooh pooh” to Jane for her negative remarks on pudding/cool whip! …. What if you eat 100% healthy foods 100% of the time and you end up getting hit by a bus?? LIVE A LITTLE!!! My kids know by heart to eat “everything in moderation” and to enjoy life! We get a similar treat from my MIL (once a year only!!) she calls “Melt in your mouth” and has the chocolate/vanilla mix in the middle. OMG – delish!!!

This is the best recipe EVER for a pumpkin dessert of ANY kind! I LOVE IT! But the pumpkin pudding is so very hard to find. I wanted to make more for Christmas but no pumpkin pudding. Anyone know how to make a substitute for the recipe out of real pumpkin, pumpkin pie mix, etc? There has to be a way! I think I am going to try it with some vanilla pudding mix and adding a little pumpkin pie mix to flavor it. I feel like an addict — JUST HAVE TO HAVE MORE PUMPKIN LUST CAKE!!! PLC NOW! I have even ordered some of the pumpkin spice pudding online at a ridiculous $3 a box price! Hopefully it will come in before Christmas! I’ll stock up next Thanksgiving!

My son in law made this for Thanksgiving and instead of pumpkin pudding used vanilla pudding and pumpkin pie spice. This way you can make it as spicy as you want. It was a huge hit and we all really loved it. One of us will be making it for Christmas.

I substituted pumpkin pie pudding with 2 sm. pkgs of vanilla pudding mixed with one can of pumpkin pie filling and a tsp of pumpkin pie spice. It makes too much (unless you like a little extra) so I ended up not using about a cup of it.

Also, to switch it up a bit, the next time I made it I used coconut pudding and then drizzled caramel on top, and then the cool whip. SUCH A HIT! Delicious I plan on making a chocolate mint one soon too!

I tried your recipe…since I couldn’t find pumpkin pudding and I don’t really care for instant I changed it up a bit. I used cooked vanilla pudding and added some allspice to it, then after it chilled I added a can of packed pumpkin…it turned out amazing….

I’ve been making this for years and years but my version has always been with Pistachio pudding! And I could eat a ton of it!!! I’ve seen it with chocolate and lemon before and it was really good, but Pistachio always being my favorite and the crust reminds me of pecan sandies! I’ll certainly have to give the pumpkin a try….sounds wonderful!

I’ve enjoyed this dessert for years and years but my version has always been with Pistachio pudding! Love the crust…reminds me of pecan sandies! I’ve also had it with chocolate and lemon, both deliciopus, but I’ve always remained a faithful lover of the Pistachio…..now I’ll have to try the pumpkin! Sounds heavenly!

i haven’t had a chance to make this yet, but i want to say thank you because my grandfather used to make something VERY similar to this many years back, but of course he didn’t write down the recipe…i asked him many times if he could try to make it again and he said he couldnt remember the recipe…long story short, my grandfather passed away at the age of 90 a few months back…and when i came across the photo on pinterest i knew i had found my favorite recipe of his in your recipe…i cannot wait to make it! so thank you…nothing like a recipe to bring back memories! I will let you know how it works out!

I made this dessert w/ 2 packs of vanilla pudding and added (to the pudding and milk) half of a 15 oz can of pumpkin and 1 tsp of pumpkin pie seasoning….it turned out great…now I can make this tasty dessert all year to give me a little sense of fall in the middle of spring

We always use to make this with the butter crust & choc pudding. Last year we did the pumpkin pudding & a crust out of gingersnaps. It was pure heaven. What a sight to see 15 grown women licking their plates clean & then fighting over the drippings left in the pan.

Just to let you know… I call my recipe pumpkin lush. If pumpkin spice pudding mix is not available you can use vanilla pudding and use a can of pumpkin. No need to rush out and try to get it when its only seasonal. I’ve been making this for so many years everybody raves about it.

I have 15 boxes of pumpkin pudding that I bought last year before they pulled it from the shelves . I am making this tonight for a “test run” for the upcoming holiday season … my kids and I can’t wait to try it.

I have been making something very similar for years with different flavor variations … but never with pecans in the crust. Pecans make EVERYTHING better.

I’ve never been so thankful for that first Thanksgiving feast with the Cool Whip and the instant pudding, lol. This was so yummy, I forgot to let the cream cheese soften earlier today so I had to put it on the counter after dinner and just finally finished making it. My boys were awfully disappointed to have to go to bed before this was cool, I know they are going to LOVE this as an after school snack tomorrow!

O.K. now it the time to get your pumpkin spice jello! Just went to Walmart yesterday and they have it now. Found it in the middle isle where they put out their holiday baking supplies. Didn’t buy but 2 boxes because I couldn’t remember what the recipe was that I needed it for.LOL Think I’ll be making another trip to buy some more before it is all gone. Can’t wait to try this recipe now that I have my pumpking spice jello.

I am making this for Thanksgiving this year, but I can’t wait until November so I am making it tonight too! This is gonna be Sweet Anticipation……. Thanks so much for the recipe. I am Pinning this on Pinterest under“My Favorite Recipes” board.

This Debbie Mortensen is my mom, and I gave her credit because she gave me the idea. There’s about a million different lust cake recipes using chocolate and vanilla pudding and it’s one of those recipes I don’t think anyone knows who the original source is. She tried out the pumpkin spice pudding twist and told me I had to try it. She shared the recipe with me so I gave her credit.

Wanted to make this bit couldn’t find jello instant pumpkin spice pudding anywhere. Thought Giant Eagle would have it but they didnt. This time of year I really thought it would be easy to find. Where did you buy it?

I found it at a Giant Eagle but it wasn’t in the baking aisle…it was on a seasonal display at a different location in the store. I bet if you ask a store associate for help they will find it for you! I also saw it at Wal Mart on a similar type of display.

I made this the other day. But they don’t sell pumpkin pudding where I’m at so I had to improvise. I mixed pumpkin in the can with vanilla pudding. Sounds weird but it was incredible. Although I’m sad that I couldn’t use pumpkin pudding!

A lot of people couldn’t find the pumpkin spice pudding- and neither could I! So… I improvised! I actually found pumpkin cream cheese! So I used that instead of the regular cream cheese, and just used plain vanilla pudding. The final product turned out great!

I made this for my family dinner a couple of nights ago and it was SoOoOo yummy!

They weren’t carrying the Pumpkin Spice pudding in my area. So instead, I used one small box of vanilla pudding and mixed it with the amount of milk recommended on the box and then I added a half a can of 100% Pumpkin Puree and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

I LOVE the crust and the cream cheese layer and the pumpkin layer just makes me so happy!

You should name this OMG PIE!!! I just found this on Pinterest and after looking at your pictures I am drooling!!!!!!!! I am going to share this recipe on my blog and website. I will not use your pictures but I will link back to you on this page. Thanks for sharing.

I have made the original dessert for years using every flavor of pudding possible. Two years ago, I made this for Thanksgiving using the Pumpkin Spice pudding and it was the biggest hit…everyone loved it! It is a regular item on our menu now….whenever I can find the pudding.

does anyone have an idea fo substituting the pumpkin filling( we dont have anything like the pumpking spice pudding in australia) and whats cool whip? help me it looks sooo yummy i wanna eat the computer screen, lol

does anyone have a substitute for the pumpkin spice pudding mix as we dont get those products in australia. And whats cool whip? is it just whipped thickened cream or is it a commercial mix? help please i wanted to eat my computer screen when i saw it, lol.

Could not find the Jello Pumpkin Spice Instant pudding but did find the Jello No Bake Pumpkin Style Pie Dessert. Used the filling packet from the package; will save the crust packet for a future creation! Also, made this recipe in my spring form pan; it’s resting in the fridge now, can’t wait to see how it turns out!

I made this tonight for a friend’s “Favorite Things” party. It was a big hit. I made some changes though. For the crust I used a box of pecan sandies and a stick of butter. I baked it at 350° for 20 minutes. Let it cool. I made the cream cheese layer by this recipe. For the pumpkin layer I used one box of the pumpkin pudding, 2 cups of milk, 1 can of pumpkin puree and a tsp of pumpkin pie spice.

This is a wonderful dessert! I took it to a recent staff meeting and received many kudos…everyone loved it! Several ladies asked for the recipe. One friend says she makes the dessert with lemon, which sounds yummy too. Will make this a yearly Thanksgiving treat for our family! Thanks!!!

I made pumpkin pie in a cup with my students Friday and used vanilla pudding mixed with pumpkin pie filling. Every kid ate it up and asked for more! I think I will try your recipe with this since the pumpkin spice pudding is in short supply. Can’t wait!

I don’t care how ‘bad’ this is for my health. We do actually eat fairly good.. so a treat once in a while isn’t going to make us sick! Thanks for the recipe,,,which I am definately making for Thanksgiving, and going thru the other kinds of puddings, suggestion, etc. Gonna be a ‘keeper’ I am sure!

I wouldn’t make it more than 24 hours in advance, but I will tell you I made it on a Sunday and we were still eating it on Wednesday and Thursday and it still tasted good! But for very best results, 12-24 hours would be ok!

I am excited to make this. Sounds delicious! But i was wondering just like some others, how long will this last before it gets soggy? Trying to decide how far in advance i can make this. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Happy Thanksgiving!

I made this tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I know it will be a hit.Thank you so much for the idea:) It sounds so delicious, you did such an awesome job. I never found the pumpkin spice pudding.However, I found a recipe online, that mimicked it perfectly. I would be happy to give you the link, or post the recipe here, whatever is best. Happy Thanksgiving

I made this tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I know it will be a hit.Thank you so much for the idea:) It sounds so delicious, you did such an awesome job. I never found the pumpkin spice pudding.However, I found a recipe online, that mimicked it perfectly. I would be happy to give you the link, or post the recipe here, whatever is best. Happy Thanksgiving

My recipe is called four layer delight. I use to make it with Butter Pecan Pudding, but, they don’t make it anymore. It was wonderful. I would love to know what to add to homemade pudding to create butter pecan. I haven’t tried the Pumpkin yet.

This is my entire families new favorite recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing! My mom made this with chocolate pudding my whole life but when I found this website and switched to pumpkin- holy moly! We are hooked!! Thanks again! Fall now has a whole new benefit to it- pumpkin lust!!! Lol

I made this desert last year for thanksgiving and let me say—AMAZING! So simple, so delicious….it was devoured entirely long before the boring old pumpkin pie!! I think I’ll make it again this year. What a great recipe. You won’t be disappointed, go to the grocery store all ready!

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[…] quickly became my go to recipe. I even make cornbread muffins the day before. DisBroad Suzanne: Pumpkin Lust Cake This is my go to sweet treat in the fall. I grew up with a chocolate version…but I love […]

[…] like me, you may not be a huge fan of plain old pumpkin pie. I saw this recipe two years ago on Sweet Treats and More and I really wanted to try it, but I couldn’t find the Pumpkin Spice pudding flavor anywhere. […]